Major changes as Bulls prepare for French challenge
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Bulls coach Johan Ackermann has pressed the re-set button ahead of Friday night’s Champions Cup match against Pau. In all, there are 11 changes from last weekend’s team: seven in the starting forwards, four in the backline, plus multiple bench rotations.
Captain Ruan Nortje gets a rest among the replacements with Marcell Coetzee back in harness as captain. Two of the most exciting changes feature the return of Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheswill Jooste, both on the wings. This means a shift for speedster Sebastian de Klerk, who slots in at outside centre.
In-form Mpilo Gumede gets a welcome start while promising lock Reinhardt Ludwig is also back in favour. The bench offers a good blend of grunt and guile with the like of Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese and Jeandre Rudolph to call on.
BULLS vs PAU
1. Jan-Hendrik Wessels
2. Akker van der Merwe
3. Mornay Smith
4. Ruan Vermaak
5. Reinhardt Ludwig
6. Marcell Coetzee (Captain)
7. Mpilo Gumede
8. Nizaam Carr
9. Zak Burger
10. Handre Pollard
11. Kurt-Lee Arendse
12. Harold Vorster
13. Sebastian de Klerk
14. Cheswill Jooste
15. Willie le Roux
Replacements
16. Marco van Staden
17. Alu Tshakweni
18. Francois Klopper
19. Cobus Wiese
20. Ruan Nortje
21. Keagan Johannes
22. David Kriel
23. Jeandre Rudolph
YOUR touring squad to face Pau this weekend in the Champions Cup and Edinburgh next weekend in the VURC 🐂@Vodacom | @ChampionsCup | @URCOfficial_RSA #TheUnbreakableLine pic.twitter.com/0RX7IPi4xS
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) January 12, 2026
